- I'm Alice Lacson, and I present documentaries
over on History Hit TV. If you're passionate about all things royal history, sign up to History Hit TV. It's like Netflix, but just for history. You've got hours of ad free documentaries about all aspects of the past. You can get a huge discount
for History Hit TV. Make sure you check out the details in the video description, and
use the code "realroyalty", all one word, when you sign up. Now, on with the show. - [Corey] The royal family is one of the oldest monarchies on Earth. - To celebrate the solemnity
of her royal coronation. - [Corey] Elizabeth II, who
came to the throne in 1952, has ruled longer than
any other British queen. - [Audience] Long live the
Queen! Long live the Queen! - [Corey] But it's not
all been plain sailing, thanks mainly to the marital
antics of her children. It all began in 1992. - It has turned out to
be an annus horribilis. - [Corey] Three of her four children, and Princess Diana, saw
their marriages fall apart. - New institution should expect to be free from the scrutiny of those who give it their loyalty and support. - [Corey] Putting the entire
family in the spotlight. Never before had so many royal
secrets been made public. - Divorce? Never been mentioned. By anybody. - [Corey] But the biggest story involved Diana and Prince Charles. - It is announced from Buckingham
Palace, that with regret, the Prince and Princess of
Wales have decided to separate. - [Corey] And things
went from bad to worse when Diana was killed. - I admired and respected her, her energy and commitment to others. - [Corey] Leaving behind a
wealth of conspiracy theories. - [Reporter] The idea the SAS was involved in the Princess of Wales' death appears to have come from within the SAS. - [Corey] Which uncovered the
monarchies darkest secrets, and rocked the royals to the core. - My son and Princess Diana have been murdered by the royal family. (dramatic music) - [Reporter] We have a flash here from the Press Association news wire, saying that Diana, Princess of Wales, has died in a car crash in Paris. - [Corey] In the early hours
of the 31st of August, 1997, in a road tunnel in Paris,
Diana, the Princess of Wales, was critically injured in
a high speed car crash. A chauffeur driven Mercedes
hit a concrete pillar while being pursued by
photographers and journalists. Diana was in the back with
her Egyptian boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed, who died almost instantly. Also dead, was the French
driver, Henri Paul. Apart from Diana, the only
survivor was her body guard in the front seat, Trevor Rees-Jones. - [Reporter] The engine rammed up into the rear passenger area. Miraculously, Diana's bodyguard, sitting in the front survived it. - [Corey] Chaos at the scene
hampered rescue efforts. But Diana was later reported to be critical but alive in hospital. By 4:00 AM, she was dead. - This morning, shocking news that Diana, the Princess of Wales, has died. - [Corey] The news shook the world. - I grew up with Princess Diana. I watched her get married, watched her have two beautiful children. - [Corey] The following
day, her former husband, the Prince of Wales, arrived
in France to collect her body, and take Diana back home for burial, where already there was a
spontaneous and unprecedented outpouring of national
grief and recrimination. - She was life. She was wonderful. She set us all such a good example. - [Corey] As the royal family tried to keep a collective
stiff upper lip, the people of Britain
demanded a show of emotion. - Nobody's going to say, ooh, what's the matter with
her, why is she crying? Because everybody feels exactly the same. - [Corey] When it didn't come immediately, their popularity and standing plummeted. - They're the most cold
people on this Earth. - [Corey] Prince Charles'
self confessed affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, and high profile divorce from Diana, had already villainized not only him, but the rest of the family too. - Princess Diana was
like a light to everyone. And now that it's gone
out, everybody's unhappy. And we've come here to
help her rest in peace while she's gone up to Heaven. (somber music) - [Corey] While the people
mourned, the royals didn't, remaining behind the high
ramparts of Balmoral Castle. - [Corey] But at 11:30
precisely, three black cars emerged from the castle
and crossed the River Dee, the family on its way to church. The service in the local
church lasted an hour, but not once was the
Princess mentioned by name. - [Corey] Diana had earned
her People's Princess title because of a hugely
popular charitable work amongst the dispossessed
and disadvantaged. - She gave too much, and cared too deeply for us not to honor
her memory with action. - [Corey] Millions queued for hours to sign books of condolences. - [Reporter] There are thousands of people joining the queue all the time. They don't know how long
they're gonna have to wait, but here's an estimate, four hours. - [Corey] And Buckingham Palace, and her former home at Kensington Palace, were surrounded by a sea of
flowers left by ordinary people. In Scotland, the royal family continued their Summer holiday. - We have no hard information, but it's looking more and more likely that the Queen and Prince
Charles have decided that this remote Scottish
estate is the best place for the two young Princes to
come to terms with their grief, through the long days of this week before their mother's funeral. - [Corey] But the trauma
for them to come out grew ever stronger, forcing Diana's sons and ex-husband from behind closed doors. The People's Princess was born
the Honorable Diana Spencer, on the first of July, 1961 in Norfolk, not far from the Queen's
own estate at Sandringham. The Spencer family had long
been close to the royal family. And when her father inherited
the title Earl Spencer, Diana became Lady Spencer,
though not of royal blood. When she first met Charles, Diana was not a potential suitor, but the younger sister of
the heir to the throne's then girlfriend, Lady Sarah Spencer. The relationship with
Sarah did not last long. It ended when Lady Sarah
spoke to newspapers about her royal connections, but Diana and Charles did not fall out. - I remember thinking what a very jolly, and amusing, and attractive
16 year old she was. - [Corey] At the time
of this first meeting, Diana was going through a rough time. Academically she was
considered a poor student, failing her O level exams twice. She spent her time studying
ballet, and dreaming of becoming a ballerina
before she grew too tall. It was at a royal polo match
the romance began to blossom. Charles was in his early '30s, and under increasing pressure to marry and produce a male heir
to the House of Windsor. The rumor mill went into overdrive when Charles invited
Diana on a trip aboard the royal yacht, Britannia, and then for a weekend at Balmoral. It was there that she first
met her future mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, and her
husband, Prince Philip, and the Queen Mother. Her proposal from Prince Charles followed a few months later. And Diana said yes. Her engagement ring caught
the eye of the world. 14 solitary diamonds surrounded a 12 carat opal blue salon sapphire
set in white gold. It's now worn by Cate,
the Duchess of Cambridge, given to her when she married
Diana's son, Prince William. But back in 1981, the alarm
bells were already ringing. When the couple gave an
interview about their engagement, Prince Charles seemed unable
to confirm it was true love. - [Reporter] And I suppose in love? - Of course. - Whatever in love means. - [Corey] Love or not, the next step was a fairy tale wedding, with Diana showing more
nerves than her husband to be. She confused the order of his many names. - [Archbishop] Take thee,
Charles Philip Arthur George. - [Diana] Take thee, Philip
Charles Arthur George. - [Corey] And the wedding vows deliberately omitted one traditional line. Diana did not promise to obey her husband. A year later, Diana gave birth to their
first child, Prince William, second in line to the
throne after his father. The Queen, and her whole
royal family, were delighted. At last, they had the
mail heir they wanted. It did not take long
for the cracks to show. Prince Charles followed up
his "whatever love is" gaffe with a remark about needing
another woman in his life. - I've come to the conclusion, that really it would have been
far easier to have two wives. (audience laughing) - [Corey] Although most people did not realize it at the time, there was someone else
already, Camilla Parker Bowles. The Prince of Wales first
met Camilla Parker Bowles in 1970, well before Diana. She made an immediate
and lasting impression. Shortly after being
introduced, Camilla pointed out that her relative Alice
Keppel, had been mistress to a previous Prince of
Wales, King Edward II. Charles and Camilla started
a romantic relationship, which lasted about a year. Nicknaming each other Fred and Gladys, it seemed they were destined
to make it permanent. However, Charles was not ready to marry and went off to join the Navy. As they went their
separate ways Camilla wed Andrew Parker Bowles, the
Queen Mother's godson. But rumors persisted that she
and Charles remained close. When Prince Charles finally decided to settle down with
Diana, everyone assumed Camilla was out of his life for good. Years later, Diana famously revealed one of her then husband's
greatest secrets. In marriage, she was not his only love. - [Reporter] Fleet Street were out in full force at Cowdray Park, as Prince Charles rode out
the storm of speculation surrounding his marriage. - [Corey] Although she never referred to her rival by name, the
British public assumed the other person in her
marriage was Camilla. They turned out to be right. In what was considered to be an authorized biography
of the Prince of Wales it was revealed that he
had started a second affair with Camilla Parker Bowles in 1986, five years after his marriage to Diana. - [Reporter] Did you try to
be faithful and honorable to your wife when you took
on the vow of marriage? - Yes, absolutely. - [Reporter] And you were? - Yes, until it became irretrievably broken down. - [Corey] As an increasing
number of photographs appeared showing Charles and
Diana posing separately in different parts of the
world, speculation that the royal marriage was finally
over reached fever pitch. When Diana was pictured
and filmed all alone at the famously romantic
Taj Mahal in India, where couples usually came
to renew their vows of love, the world knew. In 1992, in the House of Commons,
the government of the day, formerly revealed Britain's
worst kept secret. - It is announced from Buckingham Palace, that with regret, the Prince and Princess of
Wales have decided to separate. - [Corey] Divorce was
not yet on the cards. Charles was, after all,
heir to the throne. And even an increasingly
tolerant United Kingdom was thought not ready for a divorced king. Diana, who had always been
popular with the public, and who always created
huge media attention, began to develop her own personality outside the royal family. She quickly began to assume the mantle of the Peoples' Princess. But Diana was no angel. She had secrets too. Later confessing to an affair with another polo player,
Major James Hewitt, while she was still
married to Prince Charles. The revelations did not
harm her popularity. It wasn't until 1997, six
years after they separated that Charles and Diana
were finally divorced. Diana received a lump sum
settlement of 17 million pounds. - [Reporter] I think it would
be a day of mixed emotions, it would be a day of
sadness at many wasted years inside the Royal family. She still calls that time the dark ages. It's also a day of hope,
because at lasts she's released from what she calls my prison. - [Corey] She also won
a significant concession from her former jailers. - [Reporter] These are the key points of the settlement announced today. Diana will no longer
be Her Royal Highness. Palace officials say she
became HRH on marriage. They claim she recognizes
it must be now go. Her new title will be
Diana, Princess of Wales. However, she'll still be
regarded as a member of the royal family by the
queen and Prince Charles, because she's Prince William's mother. She'll still attend some state occasions. She's now deciding which ones. - [Corey] Diana's life after divorce took on a new meaning. Wherever she went, and whatever she did,
Diana captured headlines. She became a passionate advocate for the victims of landmines
left behind in war zones. - [Reporter] Three, firing. (land mine exploding) - [Corey] When she was
filmed and photographed walking through a cleared minefield, she used the controversy
to promote the cause. But after Charles, she kept her personal life
as private as she could. - [Diana] Could I ask you to
respect my children's space? - [Corey] Until she was befriended by the Egyptian tycoon and owner of Harrods, Mohammed Al-Fayed, who had
tried and failed for years to get a British passport. He invited Diana to holiday on his yacht with her two young sons, the
Princes William and Harry. It was there that she
met Al-Fayed's son, Dodi. He was the only man,
other than Prince Charles, whom the Princess allowed herself to be photographed intimately with. It was her association with the Al-Fayeds that led to the chain of
events that caused her death. In the 24 hours before the
fatal car crash in Paris, Diana and Dodi had been
holidaying in the Mediterranean, onboard Mohammed Al-Fayed yacht. They took a private jet
from Sardinia to Paris, where Diana planned to stay one night before returning to London. They were met in the French
capital by Henri Paul, the deputy head of security at Al-Fayed's family owned hotel. Outside, a growing number of waiting paparazzi appeared to know the couple's plans. The word was that Diana
was about to announce she would marry Dodi, speculation that was further
fueled by Dodi leaving the Ritz to pick up a ring from a nearby jewelers. To escape the increasing
attentions of the paparazzi, Diana and Dodi went to
his private apartment on the Champs-Elysees, leaving by a rear exit,
to try and fool the media. But it didn't work. Dodi wanted to take Diana for
a romantic Parisian dinner, but had to abandon the idea
when the paparazzi swarmed. The pair returned to the
safe haven at the Ritz, where they dined alone
in the imperial suite. Meanwhile, their driver, Henri Paul, and bodyguard, Trevor
Rees-Jones, waited in the bar. Later, Henri Paul was
seen talking to the press. And according to some who were there, he told them them Princess and Dodi would be leaving the hotel soon. Paul then arranged with Trevor Rees-Jones a decoy to distract the paparazzi. The Mercedes Range Rover the
couple had been using that day would leave from the front of the hotel, without Diana and Dodi inside. The couple would exit
the back of the hotel in another Mercedes driven by Henri Paul. Rees-Jones was to accompany them. The plan went wrong from the start. The couple's car was soon
caught by the chasing paparazzi, as it traveled at high speed
towards Place de la Concorde. At 25 minutes past midnight,
the Mercedes crashed into the 13th pillar of the Alma tunnel. (dramatic music) Dodi Al-Fayed, and Henri
Paul were killed instantly. Diana and her body guard
suffered severe injuries. - [Reporter] Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones can be seen here with Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed earlier in the same day. - This is the first time I've spoken publicly since
the accident that happened at the end of August, last year. And I would firstly like to extend my sympathy to
the family and friends of those were tragically
killed in the accident. - [Corey] The paparazzi were
at the scene in seconds. It emerged later that they
continued to take photos of the suffering Princess as
she laid trapped in the car, before calling an ambulance. - It was a circus. - To see these journalists
going up to the windshield to get as close as they
could to take pictures. - None of them helped the people injured. They asked some of their
collogue not to call the police to have more
time to take pictures. - [Corey] Many of the paparazzi who chased Diana that
night remain unrepentant. - It's absolutely out of proportion. - [Reporter] I'm sorry? - It's absolutely out of
proportion with the facts. - [Translator] They didn't impede me from getting to the car. They didn't stop me any
more than any photographer at the scene of an accident. - [Corey] Diana had paid a
heavy price for her fame. Even in her final moments, she was hounded by the very people who had
helped make her an icon. - This is a point to remember, that of all the ironies about Diana, perhaps the greatest was this. A girl given the name of the
ancient goddess of hunting was, in the end, the most
hunted person of the modern age. - [Corey] The public quickly blamed the owners of the
newspapers and magazines, which had paid for pictures of Diana. - Why did you pay so much
money for the photographs? Why were the paparazzi after them? If there was no money, if there was no money in the photographs, they wouldn't have been
after her in the tunnel. - [Corey] And the hunt began for those directly responsible for the crash. Paparazzi were arrested and
charged with the offense of failing to help a person
injured in a road accident. - If there is an accident, they should become citizens
again, and stopping journalists. - [Corey] Here driver, Henri Paul, was found to be over
the drink drive limit. - The Princess was
being driven by a drunk, on a bending dipping road,
at 121 miles an hour. - [Corey] Diana and Dodi
weren't wearing seat belts. Only her bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was absolved of any blame. - I've cooperated fully with the judge. I was investigating the accident. And I've told them all I am to
know up to this present time. I may wish to ask to see the
judge again in the future. But I have no intention of
doing this at the moment. I'd also like to add that
I've got no intentions of speaking further on
the subject publicly until after the court proceedings
are finished, if at all. - [Corey] Diana, the Princess of Wales, was always adored by her public. And the adoration, which only increased as her struggles to come to terms with the family she had
married into, became apparent. - [Reporter] The bulk theories
in the Sunday Times today claims it was the Prince's
indifference to his wife that caused her chronic depression, and five separate suicide attempts. - [Corey] Diana never got used to being the world's most photographed woman. Her popularity was a double edged sword. She believed the media she once courted had become her enemy. Even today, the facts surrounding the death of Diana are far from clear. And many conspiracy theories still abound. Despite inquests and
formal investigations, none have been proved, but
most remain unanswered. The People's Princess
was a complex person. She undoubtedly took many
royal secrets to the grave. But she did leave one clue
about what she thought the royal family's priorities should be as this real 21st century
game of thrones plays out. - My first priority will
continue to be our children, William and Harry, who
deserve as much love and care, and attention as I am
able to give, as well as an appreciation of the tradition
into which they were born. - [Corey] It's 1948. The
world is no longer at war. But in Britain, food is still scarce,
and there was rationing. Hitler's bombs had left a legacy. (concrete crashing to the ground) But there is good news too. - Let us give thanks to almighty God for the birth of a son
to Her Royal Highness, the Princess Elizabeth, and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. - [Corey] The news brought
the people onto the streets. The nation had a future king. (cannons firing) Few knew it then, but
they were celebrating the birth of a Prince who would become the longest serving heir to
the throne of modern times, as well as the most
controversial and secretive. - Are you still writing to
ministers, letters like that? - Get off. - [Corey] Have you not been behaving unconstitutionally, by
writing letters like that? (dramatic music) - [Reporter] And what a view that is for the tens of thousands
who've gathered here. - [Corey] The enduring popularity of the monarchy became clear in 2012, when queen Elizabeth
achieved her Diamond Jubilee. 60 years on the throne
meant she would become the longest serving
British queen in history. Organizing the celebrations
is Prince Charles, who was also marking his time in history, 60 years as a King in Waiting. Elizabeth's long reign was being honored for its stability and sure hand. But for the man born to be
king, life has been filled with controversy and
tumultuous relationships. Charles Philip Arthur
George was only three when he became heir to
his mother's throne. - [Audience] All hail the
king! All hail the king! - [Corey] Six years
later, at the age of nine, he became the Prince of Wales, the traditional title for a male heir. With it came in array of
responsibilities and roles, like introducing his mother
to his classmates at school, the scene that showed the world the formality that existed
within the royal family. Decades later, Charles was reunited with a former classmate under
very different circumstances. - [Reporter] It started
as a routine royal visit, Prince Charles meeting the homeless, that is until the Prince took his seat next to Clive Herald, wearing a red scarf. - Do you realize we
were at school together? - [Reporter] "Do you realize we were at school together", Clive asked. Royal astonishment, followed by laughter. A Prince and a pauper chatting
about their old school days. - The idea that we would
meet 44 years later, and I'll be on the streets, and he'd be, obviously, where he is now. It was strange. - [Reporter] At London tube stations, Clive sells copies of "The Big Issue". Homeless, but still with humor, he offered his Santa
hat as a parting gift. - [Corey] Charle's education was revolutionary for the royal family. Until he came along, royal
children were educated at home, away from prying eyes and fellow pupils. But the Queen and Prince
Philip wanted Charles to be a very different kind of king. So they sent him to public school. From the start, Charles
was expected to engage with his future subjects,
and they with him, especially when it came to sport. His Royal Highness soon
found that his classmates were not afraid to take him on. Five years later, they sent him to boarding
school in Scotland, a far cry from Buckingham Palace. It was the same school his father went to, a harsh and uncompromising place. - [Reporter] His father, who apparently regarded him as a wimp, insisted on sending
him to the tough regime of Gordonstoun, where
he was deeply unhappy, and wrote that his life was literal hell. - [Corey] The hell included
bullying by older boys, and an abrupt end to his childhood. When he was 18, they sent
him even further away, to Australia and the
Timbertop school in Melbourne. Even on the other side of the world, Charles was constantly in the limelight, as the press followed him relentlessly. Life in Australia was even
tougher than Scotland. But Charles loved it, relishing in 70 mile cross country hikes, and being called a pommy bastard. Years later, his equerry
was quoted as saying, "I went out with a boy
and came back with a man." Charles' next stop was
much closer to home, Cambridge University. As he approached his 21st
birthday, the Prince came of age, as his mother formally invested
him as the Prince of Wales. Next, he became a sporting
hero on the polo field, a pursuit he had folded
in love with as a child. It began to define him as a man. His dare devilry on the field earned him the nickname "Action Man". But it came at a price. - [Reporter] The Prince
of Wales has a reputation for playing polo hard. While he once gained an
international handicap, putting him among the world's
best, it's been at a cost. The continual spills on the field have resulted in a nagging back condition. At times, his frustration with the condition's been apparent. - It's extremely unwise to get
back in the saddle so soon. Doctor's already told
him that if he carries on bashing his back the way he
is, he faces possible surgery. And it's only three weeks
since that warning was made by one of Britain's top orthopedic surgeons. - [Reporter] The Prince's
staff say he's pulling back from the sport because he doesn't want an injury to disrupt his official duties. - [Corey] Official duties
involved joining the Navy, following the royal tradition
of a military career. His status made him an officer. But he proved his worth by serving on guided missile
destroyers as a mine hunter. He also quantified as a pilot. - [Charles] I think it gives
one a very useful experience in responsibility and discipline. I think responsibility is most important. - When Charles left the
Navy, like everyone else, he was given 7,000
pounds of severance pay. But he didn't spend it on himself. A million and a half people
were out of work at the time. Charles used his windfall to
set up the Prince's Trust. Its aim is to help the disadvantaged, and to provide money
for young entrepreneurs. It's early years coincided
with a continuing lack of jobs, and violence on the streets. - The single greatest problem
has to be unemployment. We are faced with large numbers of unemployed youngsters
who have absolutely nothing at all to do, and
no chance of getting a job. So the situation is getting worse. - [Corey] Charles tried to stop the situation from getting worse by investing money in
business startup schemes, run by young people with
no obvious track record. - What we were always trying to do, what I again was trying to do,
was to develop hidden talent amongst a large number, I think, of young people all over the country, however disadvantaged or
alienated they may be. I had my self confidence
developed when I was young, and it does enable you to face a lot more of the challenges of life. - [Corey] For the trust,
the challenges of life involved pop, and rock and roll, as Charles harnessed show
business to raise money. All this, and being a future king, made the young Prince a sex symbol. An unmarried heir to a
throne is always in demand. And Charles played the role to perfection, earning himself another title, the world's most eligible bachelor. Women flocked to him. And
the tabloids had a field day. First, there was Lucia Santa Cruz, a fellow student at Cambridge. She was seen as his
first proper girlfriend. The romance survived only a few months. Many hoped the next one,
Lady Jane Wellesley, would be the prime candidate
for marriage to the Prince, with her impeccable pedigree. She was the great, great,
great granddaughter of the first Duke of Wellington. However, she has said to have turned down the idea of marriage, blaming the media for
it's intense scrutiny. (camera clicking repeatedly) But while Charles played the field, his family became concerned
about the succession. They needed another heir, who would succeed him as king one day. He needed to settle down. In 1977, Prince Charles had
a fling with 22 year old, Lady Sarah Spencer, daughter
of the Eighth Earl of Spencer. It ended in acrimony
after she leaked details of their relationship to the press. Charles sought solace in the
arms of her younger sister. Lady Diana Spencer was 13 years younger. But it quickly became
clear that she was the one. - I'm not gonna say anything prepared. - Prince Charles did just
give us a hint himself. He said we wouldn't have to wait too long. - Careful. - [Corey] It wasn't long before it turned into an engagement. Love was in the air. (cameras clicking) For everyone but Charles. - [Reporter] And I suppose, in love? - Of course. - Whatever in love means. Put your own interpretation. - [Reporter] Obviously
means two very happy people. - Yeah, absolutely. - [Reporter] Well from
us, congratulations. - Thank you very much.
- Thank you very much. - It's very kind. - [Corey] When the wedding vows came, five months later, Charles'
"whatever love means" remark seemed to be forgotten. - I pronounce that they
be man and wife together. - [Corey] The heir to the
throne had settled down, and Britain had a future
Queen, or so everyone thought. The ceremony was shown around the world, and watched by 750 million people. But behind the fairytale
facade, lay a secret. Both Charles and his bride had separately thought of calling off the ceremony, because each knew the
relationship was deeply flawed. - [Reporter] This is another high risk strategy by the
Prince, an authorized biography over which he had no
editorial control, revealing that he'd felt forced into
proposing by his father, by whom he had been bullied
and mocked as a boy. The young Diana Spencer
would be compromised, the Duke warned, unless Prince
Charles made up his mind. Feeling ill used but
impotent, he chose to marry. - [Corey] At the time,
no one else had a clue. Because in public, they
appeared the perfect couple. Diana was good at courting the media, and quickly became a sensation. She appeared accessible in ways
her husband could never be. And then, along came the children. A shared bond, but not enough
to hold a marriage together. Images of a less than happy
Diana started to appear. Many speculated that
the Prince had reignited a relationship with his former
lover, Camilla Parker Bowles. The pair had conducted a
mostly secret relationship for a quarter of a century. Charles' extramarital exploits allowed the tabloids
to renew their attack. - [Reporter] As revealed
on News at 10 last night, the admission that he'd not
been faithful to Princess Diana. And the question is being asked, after this, should the
Prince still become King? - It's up to us, whether
we are prepared to accept that he is fallible like the rest of us, or whether we are going to cling to some kind of old fashioned delusion that the monarchy is somehow
or other above all sin. - [Corey] Tensions were
already running high, following what first looked to be an assassination
attempt in Australia, - [Reporter] on the country's
most cherished celebration, Australia Day, two shots rang out. (gun firing) His personal detective elbowed
the Prince out of harm's way, checked the attacker, and then
shepherded Charles to safety. He'd run fast from the front of the crowd, firing a starting pistol, and got within a few feet of the Prince. In the confusion in front of a huge crowd, it seemed for a few terrible
moments to those of us present that a serious attempt had
been made on the Prince's life. The attacker was David Kang, a 23 year old university student who'd already written to
the Prince protesting about the condition of Cambodian boat people, some 200 of whom are held here. - [Corey] David Kang was
sentenced to 500 hours of community service for
threatening unlawful violence. He went home to become a barrister, specializing in criminal law. Back in the UK, the press were
revealing for the first time that Charles and Diana were
to separate and divorce. When Diana died in Paris, the heir to the throne was free to have an open relationship with
Camilla Parker Bowles, and then marry her. - [Reporter] The Prince
leading Camilla Parker Bowles out from the shadows on his arm. His former lover and
mistress, now his wife, and the new Duchess of Cornwall. - [Corey] Charles' divorce and remarriage caused unrest and debate
within the Church of England, and throughout Britain as a whole. As future king, he would become the symbolic head of
the Protestant Church, with the title Defender of the Faith. But before marrying Camilla, Charles decreed that when he became king, he would change his title
to Defender of Faith, rather than Defender of the Faith, a subtle but important
difference in emphasis, which recognized the changing
face of multicultural Britain. - [Reporter] Prince Charles
is said to want an end to a tradition dating back to the time of King Henry VIII in the 16th century. Referring to the fact that
the monarchy is traditionally head of the Protestant established church, the Prince is quoted as saying, I happen to believe that
the Catholic subjects are as important, not to
mention the Islamic and Hindu. Whatever his motives,
Prince Charles' decision is already being welcomed by
the leaders of other faiths. They say it will encourage
religious tolerance. - [Corey] Prince Charles is one of the richest men in the world. His money comes from a number of sources, the bulk from the Duchy
of Cornwall Estates, which he inherited after
his mother became queen. Its main purpose is to
provide the heir to the throne with an independent income. The Duchy owns 135,000 acres of land, recently valued at 703 million pounds. It also sells a huge
range of food products, many of them from the heir
to the throne's own farms. The Duchy is said to make a profit of 19 million pounds a year. But it pays no corporation
tax, and publishes no accounts, even though Prince Charles
calls himself an entrepreneur. - [Reporter] The Duchy of Cornwall, which includes the Prince's landholdings, property, And even some food lines, is equivalent to a mid-size company. But controversially, the
Duchy pays no corporation tax. Even though the Prince himself
says he's an entrepreneur. - He's using this idea that he's an entrepreneur on his website, and in his campaign to become king, which it is a campaign actually. But the fact is he doesn't
act like an entrepreneur. Most entrepreneurs have to pay the full rate of tax on their businesses, both the capital gains
and the corporation tax. And he doesn't do that.
He has a special status. - [Corey] After years of
pressure to come clean, Prince Charles finally published some accounts for his Duchy in 2015. It was a breakthrough
aim at public opinion. - [Reporter] An opinion
polls suggest many of us still support the idea of a monarchy. But the very fact today's
accounts were published, show the royals are under
pressure to justify their income, and perhaps their continued existence. - [Corey] Despite his great wealth, Prince Charles has been
ruled by a social conscience. And his Prince's Trust has
earned him the highest praise. - I would like to take this opportunity to say to you, Charles, how proud I am of everything you have
accomplished with the trust, and the way you personally have
inspired this organization. - [Corey] But not everything he has done present accolades. When he revealed he talked to his plants at his Highgrove home,
it brought ridicule. And his numerous interventions in political matters
have been controversial. The heir to the throne, like the Queen, is supposed to be above the rough and tumble of British politics. But it's now clear that
he spent half a century behind the scenes, trying to
influence and lobby politicians about the things he cares about. - [Reporter] Prince Charles
has his own financial interest. And he is clearly very
happy to lobby ministers to pursue those interests and that agenda. He has unique privileges
in terms of secrecy around, he's not covered by a
freedom of information. And so it raises a whole host of questions of conflict of interest. - [Corey] Charles' behind
the scenes interests first burst into the
spotlight when it emerged he'd got involved in the
transfer of sovereignty from Hong Kong to China. He called Chinese government officials appalling old waxworks. The revelations came from
his personal diaries, leaked to an English newspaper, which resulted in a massive court case. - [Reporter] The judge
agreed with his lawyers, that this was a breach of his
copyright and confidentiality. The newspaper's seeking leave to challenge today's judgment
in the court of appeal. - We believe our report, and this legal action,
both raise very serious questions about the constitutional role of the heir to the throne,
and the freedom of the press. It cannot be legitimate
for the Prince to claim the right to engage in
political controversy, and at the same time deny the public the right to know that he is doing so. - [Corey] Prince Charles' lobbying of government ministers was
rarely done face-to-face. He let them know what he thought by sending memos with hand written notes. They became known as the spider memos, because of his handwriting. When a freedom of
information request was made to make 27 of them
public, he went to court. After a 10 year legal battle, which took the fight to
the Supreme Court, he lost. Britain was at last able to
see what he had been up to. His interventions earned him the nickname, The Meddling Prince. - [Reporter] Call it
taking a royal interest, or plain meddling, whatever your view, in as many letters, the Prince expressed strong opinions on a
wide variety of subjects that are clearly close to his heart. - [Reporter] The Prince's
letters are known as the black spider memos, a
reference to the handwriting. The ministers are said to have complained about being bombarded by them. But he hasn't stopped at
letters, also speaking out in public on everything from
political correctness to BSE. - [Corey] BSE, or mad cow disease, as it was more commonly called, put the Prince firmly at
war with the powers that be. - We see the consequences of
treating animals like machines, seeking ever greater efficiency,
and even experimenting, catastrophically as we now know, with totally inappropriate
alternative fuels. - [Reporter] Charles' his critics believe that by dipping his toe
in political waters, he's not just meddled, he's
tried to exert influence. - And this country put up with the monarchy,
support the monarchy because they think it's beyond politics, outside of politics, and
doesn't get involved. If these letters prove that to be false, that may do quite considerable
damage to the monarchy. - [Corey] Being beyond politics is something Charles' mother, the Queen, has upheld throughout her reign. He has not been so careful. But royal observers
say he will have to tow a more diplomatic line when
he eventually succeeds her. - When he becomes king, he must be scrupulously neutral, just like Queen Elizabeth is. And he will have to change his behavior. - [Corey] Prince Charles has been scrutinized
since the day he was born. Despite this, he's managed
to keep many things quiet, from his clandestine affair with a woman who is now his wife, to his memos and letters to ministers. His mother is not only
Britain's longest serving queen, she is also by far the most popular. Whether he can emulate that,
and her sureness of hand, only time will tell. (calm music)
